Houthi Rebels Release Five UN Staff Amid Ongoing Detention of International Employees in Yemen

Image: Jihad Watch

In a concerning escalation of tensions in war-torn Yemen, Houthi rebels have released five Yemeni staff members of the United Nations who were detained over the weekend. However, 15 international UN employees remain confined within a UN compound in the capital city of Sanaa, according to the organisation’s spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric.

The detention occurred following an incursion by Houthi militants into the UN facility on Saturday. The group briefly occupied the compound before retreating, leaving behind a situation that continues to restrict the movement of international personnel. “The rebels have left the compound, and the international UN employees are now free to move around the facility,” said Dujarric, adding, “We hope that they will be free to leave the compound as soon as possible.”

Longstanding Tensions Between Houthis and the UN

The incident underscores a growing pattern of hostility by the Iran-backed Houthi movement towards international organisations operating in their territories. Over recent years, the Houthis have tightened control over aid agencies and humanitarian operations in areas under their command, including Sanaa, the coastal hub of Hodeida, and their northern stronghold, Saada.

The group has frequently accused UN staff, diplomats, and aid workers of espionage—claims widely dismissed by the United Nations as baseless. According to Dujarric, at least 53 UN employees have been arbitrarily detained by the Houthis since 2021, not including the latest detentions. These arrests have severely hampered humanitarian assistance in Yemen, where over 70% of the population relies on aid after years of civil conflict and economic collapse.

International Efforts to Resolve the Situation

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has reportedly reached out to senior officials in Iran, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia in an attempt to secure the release of the remaining detainees. His diplomatic engagement underscores the complexity of the Yemeni conflict, which has drawn in regional powers and continues to devastate civilian life.

The Houthis, aligned with Iran, have been fighting Yemen’s internationally recognised government—supported by a Saudi-led coalition—since 2014. The war has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with millions displaced and thousands killed.

While the release of the five Yemeni staff members marks a small step forward, the continued confinement of international UN employees highlights the persistent volatility in Houthi-controlled areas and the fragile state of international diplomacy in Yemen.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)